Auxiliary airplane propeller



March 12, 1935 .J.,FE.RNANDEZ AUXILIARY AIRPLANE PROFELLEH Filed Oct. 8, 1954 INVENTOR Jose; FERNANDEZ ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 12,

AnxmrARY AIRPLANE momma Jose Fernandez, Newark, 'N. J. i Application October 8, 1934,Serial No. 747,296 r invention relates to new and useful im-" Still. further, :the invention particularly pro:

poses to mount'the auxiliarypropeller upon'a shaft-.having two-sections pivotally connected and arranged: in 'sucha fashion thatthe front sectioniwith the propeller may assume a bent po-- sition constituting the normal" inoperative po-i sition of the propeller so that itis not caused to rotate during the travel ofthe airplane.

--.-Furthermore, it. is another object of -this "invention r..to arrange" a mechanism whereupon operation. of .a'push button switch the front sectionvof the propeller sectioni's moved to-an operative position so that the propeller is ready to beoperated. 7

Another object of the invention is the construction-of a device as mentioned which is simple: and durable and which can be manufactured and sold at aireasonable cost. .1

For furthen'comprehension of the-invention;

and of the .objectsgand advantages thereof, reference will be had. tothe following' description and1accompaniyng drawing, andto the'appended claims in which the various novel featuresof the invention are more particularlyset forth.

in the accompanying drawing. forming a material partof this disclosure: 7

, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational viewof. an? airplane; equipped with an auxiliary-air operable switch 26.

403 plane propeller according to this invention.- Fig.2 is a fragmentary end elevationalview of a' portion of the auxiliary propellermechanism seen as though looking from the right hand. end

of Fig.1.

'Fig. 3; is a fragmentary enlarged detailedrview of'a portion of Fig. 1, showing in particular the rear section of the propeller shaft.

vention, is used in combination with a standard airplane 10 havinga propeller 11 associated with the engine'12' for its operation. Details of the airplanewill not be given." in this specification since such details form no part of this'invention and"are"generallyknown y'those skilled in the artj c.

position at right angles to the section 14*. The construction is such that the propellershaft' may be drawn inwards through the standard 15' engaged when the solenoid 23 is operated The auxiliary airplane propeller according to this invention, comprises a: propeller 13' attached upon the front section li of'a shafthavingfa rear section 14 The shaftli 14 fis slidably' androtatively supported ina standard l'5 mount ed upon the body of the airplane 10. The front end of the standard 15' is formed with aconical shaped recess-16 so as to-cam-down the front section 14 of the propeller shaft when the pro peller shaft is drawn inwards into the standard. 10 The dot and dash lines inFig. 1 illustratethe operative position of the propeller 13. The full? lines 'show-its -inoperative position. The shaft sections 14% and 14; are'pivotally connected with a pintle 'pin'17. one-or theends of the shaftsections 'is formed with "a#reduced-portion '18 engaging "between a forked portion 19 'of the other-section.

Springs 20 are-arranged coaxially upfon'the" pintle pin 17 and are disposed withinrecesses21" formed in. one of the shaftsections, andsaidsprings act between the sectionsso' as to 'r'iormally'pivot the front's'haft section 14 intoa to cause the front section 14 to move into a horizontal aligned position with therear section to be in the operative position. When the propeller. shaft is moved'frontwards to a position inwhich the shaft section 10 is free, the springs 20 will automatically movethe shaft section into the right angle inoperative position. 1

The. rear shaft section 14 'slidably engages through a casing 22 which is mounted upon'the body of the airplane. A solenoid 23 is arranged around the shaft section 14* and is mounted withinthe casing 22 and connects with a circuit 24 having a source of power 25 and a manually Thearrangement is such' that the solenoid 23 maybe operated to, cause the propellershaft14*,"14 to move rearwards.

A coupling section 27 is mounted upon the rear end of the shaft section 14 and is adapted to interengage and connect witha coupling section 28 upon theshaft 29 of .anauxiliary engine 30' i v c I H Y 7 I V mounted uponthe airplane body. -Thegdota1'1d The auxiliary propeller, according to this in dash lines in Fig. 1 show the interenga'gedposition of the coupling. The coupling will be intermove the'propeller shaft 14?-, 14= rearwards. J; 1.

A'plunger 31 is mounted upon the casing 22. andis urged inwards with aspring:32 coaxially upon the plunger'and acting between the casing 22 and a flange 33 on the plunger. The inner end of the plunger 31 engages a longitudinal groove 34 upon the shaft section 14. In the forward position of the shaft section the plunger 31 engages a small recess 35 in the base of the groove 34. The groove 34 extends to a peripheral groove 36 having an upper section 36 and a lower section 36'. The upper section 36 is of a size so as to have its periphery coinciding with the base of the longitudinal groove 35. The arrangement is, such that the shaft. section 14 may move rearwards and the plunger 31 engages the groove section 36 for latching the shaft in the rearwards position, in which position the coupling is engaged. The shaft may be released from its operative position by manuallyd-rawing the plunger 31 outwards which is possible because of the provision of a head 37 arranged upon the extended end of the plunger. The plunger is capable of being extended only to a position in which its inner end engages the groove section 36 .Then the shaft may be, turned to a. position in, which the longitudinal slot 34 aligns with the plunger 31; and then the shaft may be extended outwards toits inoperative position.

'The operation of the, device may be understood; by first considering Fig. 1 In, the event thattrouble developswith the regular propeller- 1-1,,then, the pilotcloses the switch 26. so as to energize the solenoid 23 which will cause. the

shaft section 14 tomove rearwards. Rearward motion. of, the shaft section. leecauses the shaft section 14 to pivot into alignment and'be partially drawn i to, the standard 15. so that the' shaft sectionsmay now freely rotate. When-the shaft has; moved to itsacomplete. rear position, the couplin 2 7; d 28. .will engage, and the. plunger 31: 1 will; engage the. groove. section. so? to hold the shaft in this operative position. Then the; engine 30 is. started. in, a conventional man-- not and; the propeller 13 will now operating, that. the airplane may eek a fe l nsi H Wh le I have illustrated and described .the.

preferred embodiment, of my invention, it is to.

be u d rs ood thatll do not. limit myself to. the precise construction herein disclosed and the.

right, is. reserved to all, changes and modifications;

coming within the scope of the invention-as. de-.-

he ppended claims. i ,Having described my invention, what I:

clainras new, and desire to. secure by United.

States. LettersPatent is:.

Ineembinationwith an airplane, a standard.

theshaft sections urging the front section intotheright angleposition, a stationary casingen.- circlingtherear section of the shaft, a solenoid on said. casing for moving the shaft rearwards; anauxi-liary engine on the airplane, coupling jaws oiirthe drive shaft of the auxiliary engine and the the-rear section, a propeller. shaft upon; the free end of the front sectiozr; resilient means between the shaft sections urging the front section into the right angle position, a stationary casing encircling the rear section of the shaft, a solenoid on said casing for moving the shaft rearwards, an auxiliary engine on the airplane, coupling jaws on the drive shaft of the auxiliary engine and the rear end of said shaft and adapted to engage in the rear position of said shaft, and means for holding the said shaft in its rearward position, the. adjacent. ends of said shaft. sections being formed with inter-engaging parts connected with a pintle pin for the pivotal connection of the shaft sections.

3. In combination with an airplane, a standard with a shaft slidably and rota-tively engaged therein, said, shaft having a pair of pivotally connected sections arranged with the front section adapted to assumes. position at right angles to the rear section, a propeller shaft upon the free end of the front section, resilient means between the shaft. sections urging; the.- front section into the right. angle. position, a. stationary casing; encircling the rear section of the shaft, a. solenoid on said. casing for moving the shaft rewards; an auxiliary engine on the airplane, coupling jawson the drive shaft of, engine and the rear end of said shaft and: adapted to engage in. the rear position of said shaft, and. means; for holding the said shaft in its rearward position, said resilient means between the shaft comprising springs coaxially upon the pistol; of theshaft sections and actingbetweerr thev sections.

4, In. combination withan airplaneiastandard with. av shaft slida-bly and, rotatively' engaged therein, said shafthavingapair of; pivotally'con' nected sections arranged. with the; front section adopted-rte assume. a. position at; right angles. to the rear section, a. propeller shaft upon thefree; nd of he. f ont, section. resilient means between. the shaft sections u gingthe front sectioninto the right angle. position. astationarycasmgwencircling. t-herear sectiorr'ofi the shaft,v a. solenoid onsaid casing for: movin the. shaft rearwards, an aux.- il-iaryengine onthe; airplane coupling jaws outhe drive shaft of the auxiliary engine andtherear end of. said. shaft. and, adapted toengage in. the rear position of. said.' shaft, animeans for:holding.

, the saidshaf-t-initsrearwardposition, comprisiing a spring urged plunger onsaid: casing:engag-- ins: in. a, longitudinal. groove in thelrear shaft se tion... and. a. peripheral recess: connected-1 withv the. longitudinal groove; arranged at a. position to; hold. the; shaft in its rearward position with the. coupling engaged.

5.. In combination with an airplane, a standard with a shaft. slidably and rotativel y engaged therein, said shaft havinga; pair of pivotall y connected. sections arranged with the front section adapted. to. assume aposition at right angles to the rear section, a propeller shaft upon thefree end of i the front section, resilient means between the shaft. sections urging: the front section into the: right angle position, astationary casing encircling therear section of the shaft, a solenoid onsaid' casing for moving the shaft rearwards, an auxiliary engine on the airplane, coupling jaws on the drive shaftof the auxiliary'engine andtherearend of said shaft and adapted to engage in the rear position of shaft, and

means for. holding the. said shaft. in its. rearward position. comprising. a. spring urged plunger: on. said, casing. engaging. in a longitudinal groove. in the rear shaftsection, and aperipheral recesscom nected with the longitudinal groove arranged at a position to hold the shaft in its rearward position with the coupling engaged, said peripheral groove having a shallow portion and a deeper portion, the shallow portion having its outer side aligned with the base of said longitudinal groove.

6. In combination with an airplane, a standard right angle position, a stationary casing encircling the rear section of the shaft, a solenoid on said casing for moving the shaft rearwards, an

auxiliary engine'on the airplane, coupling jaws on the drive shaft of the auxiliary engine and the rear end of said shaft and adapted to engage in the rear position of said shaft, means for holding the said shaft in its rearward position, a manually operable switch, a source of electrical power, and a circuit connecting said solenoid, and source of power in series.

JOSE FERNANDEZ.

switch 10 

